Wärtsilä announces new LNG/battery hybrid concept ferry

Wärtsilä has announced a new concept series of cost-effective and clean shuttle ferries, which will have either low or zero emissions and will be able to carry between 60 and 120 cars on a single deck. The vessels, which were designed in line with the Norwegian government’s latest environmental regulations, are designed to operate either entirely on batteries, or on a battery-engine hybrid, which can either use LNG or biofuel. Fuel consumption is reduced to 50% of standard installations when using the hybrid engine, and 100% when using the battery alone. This hybrid concept will also be available for retrofit in existing ferries.

Riku-Pekka Hägg, Vice President, Ship Design, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions, said: “Wärtsilä is fully committed to producing ship designs, marine products, and integrated solutions that make a significant contribution towards lowering the environmental footprint of shipping. This new concept is one more example of this focus. By making it possible for ferries to eliminate exhaust emissions entirely, we feel that we are again acting proactively to protect the marine environment.”

The concept features Wärtsilä’s wireless inductive charging system, which eliminates physical cable connecting, thereby mitigating wear and tear. This also allows charging to begin straight away upon arriving at a quay, saving both time and energy.

In addition to this, the ferries will also include a complete electrical and automation package based on the hybrid solution, including Wärtsilä’s azimuth propulsion units and a complete bridge control system.

Edited from press release by David Rowlands

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/14012016/wartsila-announces-new-lng-battery-hybrid-ferry-concept-1869/